Over recent years obesity has reached epidemic proportions. Obesity contributes to more than 300,000 deaths each year and according to federal guidelines, half the population is overweight and a third is obese. Obesity is defined as an excess proportion of total body fat correlating with a body weight greater than 20 percent of ideal body weight (IBW). Body Mass Index (BMI) is another method to determine whether or not an individual is obese. BMI utilizes a mathematical equation consisting of weight and height measurements in order to determine total body fat. A BMI between 25-29.9 indicates an individual is overweight. Causes for obesity include genetic, environmental, economic, emotional, and physiological factors. These factors can then lead to the over consumption of total calories. The amount of total calories consumed versus the amount of total calories burned determines the amount of fat stored for energy reserves. Calories or Kcals (kilocalories) are defined as the amount of heat necessary to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius. The amount of total calories burned is defined as the calories utilized by exercise plus basal metabolic rate (BMR) or resting metabolic rate (RMR). BMR represents the amount of calories needed to maintain IBW at rest. Increasing BMR results in fewer calories stored as fat and can promote weight loss if the amount calories burned is greater than the amount of calories ingested. One of the main factors that controls BMR is the percentage of lean body weight.
Standard medical therapy for obesity includes oral prescription medications. Most of these medications are designed to regulate appetite by releasing serotonin or catecholamine. For instance Sanorex, Mazanor, Adipex-P, and Meridia are common appetite suppressant medications. However most of these medications can only be used on a short term basis and are scheduled as controlled substances due to the fact that they can become addictive. Other side effects include increased heart rate, blood pressure, constipation and insomnia. Merida is the only appetite suppressant that has been approved for long term use. Another long term pharmaceutical approach to weight loss is the fat absorption inhibitor Xenical. Xenical works by blocking about 30 percent of dietary fat from being absorbed. Enzymes in the digestive system, called lipases, assist in the digestion of dietary fats. Xenical attaches to the lipases and inhibits the digestion of dietary fat as triglycerides into absorbable free fatty acids and monoglycerides, which are then excreted in the bowel. Xenical literature recommends not ingesting more than 30 percent of total calories from dietary fat per day due to concerns regarding loose bowels. It appears that a common and unpleasant side effect of Xenical includes flatulence and loose bowels when a high fat diet is consumed during Xenical treatment.
The previously mentioned weight control methods do not take into account the importance of maintaining or increasing the lean body mass in the process of weight loss. Medical methods to decrease body fat often contribute to the catabolic wasting of lean body mass. Increased lean body mass enhances metabolism and helps in losing fat weight, as well as maintaining the accomplished weight reduction. Diminished lean body mass decreases metabolism and results in difficulties in maintaining healthy body weight. An ideal weight management approach should be to reduce body weight to acceptable levels by restoring the optimal proportions of fat to lean body mass. By maintaining or increasing the lean body mass while simultaneously reducing body fat, the weight loss regimen would serve the general purpose of improving the overall health of the individual.
The present invention relates to a method of administering an effective amount of an iodothyroacetic acid analog in order to shift the proportion between lean body mass and adipose tissue in favor of lean body mass in a human individual. Iodothyronines traditionally have been utilized to treat thyroid disorders such as hypo and hyper thyroidism. The most common iodothyronines consist of tetraiodothyronine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), diiodothyronine (T2), and monoiodothyronine (T1) but also include the acetic acid analogs Tetraiodothyroacetic Acid (TETRAC or TA4) and Triiodothyroacetic Acid (TRIAC or TA3). We purpose for the first time that the use of diiodothyroacetic acid (TA2) is novel and unobvious due to its ability to shift the proportion between lean body mass and adipose tissue in favor of lean body mass without causing sympathomimetic stimulation, loose bowel or addictive symptomology commonly associated with obesity related prescription and over the counter medications. This unobvious function can also increase the variables associated with physical performance for the regulation of athletic function in humans.
The thyroid gland, in response to stimulation by TSH, produces 3,5,3′,5′-tetratiodothyronine (T4), T3, and reverseT3. The synthesis of these hormones requires the amino acid tyrosine and the trace mineral iodine. Within the cells of the thyroid gland, iodide is oxidized to iodine by hydrogen peroxide, a reaction termed the organification of iodide. Iodine then binds to the number 3 position in the tyrosyl ring in a reaction catalyzed by the thyroid peroxidase enzyme, a reaction yielding 3-monoiodotyrosine (MIT). A subsequent addition of another iodine to the number 5 position of the tyrosyl residue on MIT creates 3,5-diiodotyrosine (DIT). T4 is created by the condensation or coupling of two DIT molecules. Within the thyroid, smaller amounts of DIT can also condense with MIT to form either T3 or reverseT3.
Iodothyronines have been patented for a number of applications. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,691 by Bachynsky demonstrates a method for inducing human weight loss. U.S. Pat. No. 5,910,569 by Latham et al. describes a method for the use of iodothyronine polymers for the treatment of thyroid disorders. U.S. Pat. No. 6,380,255 by Lavin et al. describes a method for the treatment of dermal skin atrophy using thyroid hormone compounds.
The iodothyroacetic acid analogs utilized in this invention consist of all isomers, esters, salts, ethers, metabolites and analogs of diiodothyroacetic acid. This naturally occurring acetic acid analog is a direct metabolite of triiodothyronine (T3) and triiodothyroacetic acid (Triac) as demonstrated in Endocrinology October 1990; 127(4): 1617-24 and Endocrinology July 1989; 125(1): 424-32. It should be understood that this invention is not construed as limited in scope by the details contained therein, as it is apparent to those skilled in the art that modification in materials and methods can be made without deviating from the scope of the invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,691 by Bachynsky describes a method for human weight reduction with 2,4-dinitrophenol and a thyroid hormone. The dinitrophenol is administered to elevate body temperature, while the thyroid preparation is utilized maintain T3 levels that were present at the onset of the treatment. This invention represents an improvement in standard weight loss preparations due to the combination of dinitrophenol and T3. This combination represents an improvement in the use of dinitrophenol for weight loss although dinitrophenol is toxic and may lead to adverse reactions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,691 by Bachynsky addresses weight loss while the present invention focuses on shifting the proportion between lean body mass and adipose tissue in favor of lean body mass. This combination represents an improvement in the use of dinitrophenol for weight loss although dinitrophenol is toxic and may lead to adverse reactions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,910,569 by Latham et al. describes a method for the synthesis of various iodothyronine polymers for use in the treatment of thyroid disorders. Since these iodothyronine polymers are released by digestive proteolysis it is expected that they would have a long physiologic effect because of the sustained release from the polymers of the monomeric thyroid hormones and thus give stable, consistent pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of thyroid hormone deficiencies. This combination represent an improvement in the use of iodothyronines for the treatment of thyroid hormone deficiencies although these polymers do not address the use of diiodothyroacetic acid to shift the proportion between lean body mass and adipose tissue in favor of lean body mass.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,380,550 by Lavin describes a method for treating dermal atrophy of the skin. Lavin has found that topical application of a composition comprising at least one thyroid hormone compound or thyroid hormone-like compound in a pharmacologically acceptable base is effective in treating dermal atrophy of the skin. It also provides an improved cosmetic appearance to aging, atrophied, steroid-affected, or sun damaged skin. This combination represents a novel and unobvious use of iodothyronines for the treatment of dermal atrophy of the skin although this invention does not address the use of diiodothyroacetic acid to shift the proportion between lean body mass and adipose tissue in favor of lean body mass.